Medical traction device

ABSTRACT

A medical traction device incorporates a plurality of constant force spring means and means for selecting a Yasko; J. traction force from said spring means for applying to a patient.

United States Patent Alessiet a1. a

[54] MEDICAL TRACTION DEVICE [72] inventors: Samuel P. Alessi, Homewood;David A. Daneck, Chicago Heights, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago,

Ill

[22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 14,127

[52] US. Cl ..l28/75, 128/84 C, 242/107 [51] Int. Cl. ..A6lh U112 [58]Field of Search ..128/69, 70, 75, 84; 242/107,

[56] v References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,168,094 2/1965 Siltamaki..128/75 sr 3,683,900 51 Aug. 15, 1972 3,060,929 10/ 1 962 Zivi 128/753,085,768 4/ 1963 Truetelaar ..242/ l 07 2,673,694 3/1954 Howell ..242/107.3 2,658,698 11/1953 Leroy ..242/107 3,384,321 5/1968 Becker et a1..242/107.5

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner--J. YaskoAtt0rney-D0nald W. Banner, William S. McCurry and John W. Butcher [57]ABSTRACT A medical traction device incorporates a plurality of constantforce spring means and means for selecting a Yasko; .1. traction forcefrom said spring means for applying to a patient.

1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUI; 15 m2 FIGI SHEET 1 OF 4 n4 2.1-IO H2 {80 74 P i -V I la. r- 2 i I /|O8 L I a H 72 l! I06 ii INVENTORSSAMUEL P. ALESSI DAVID A. DANECK ATTORNEY PAIENTEnAus 15 m2 3.683, 900

sum 2 or 4 FIGZ I Q w' I i ,54

11 5:; I AM 2 L] 5 INVENTORS SAMUEL P. ALESSI DAVID A. DANECK ATTORNEYPATENTEI] Inc I 5 I97? 3 683 :900

SHEET 3 III 4 H63 FIG.4

INVENITORS I62 I64 SAMUEL P. ALESSI DAVID A. DANECK ATTORNEY PATENTEDAu: 1 5 I972 SHEET l; 0F 4 INVENTOR FIGII SAMUEL P. ALESSI DAVID A.DANECK BY m m h- ATTORNEY MEDICAL TRACTION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Presently, solid weights of metal, liquid-filled bags, orsand-filled bags are used with medical traction equipment. This systemof weights is cumbersome, heavy, requires individual handling inassembly, is unsightly, and at times, weights are misplaced. In the caseof the liquid-filled bags, which are stored when empty, a great deal ofeffort is required to fill and empty the bags. Liquid-filled bags aswell as sand-filled bags require computing the weight from the volume.

THE INVENTION According to this invention, a medical traction deviceincorporates a plurality of constant force spring means and means areprovided for selecting a desired force from the spring means forapplication to the patient. This selection means includes a pluralitygang of pegged rotatable discs, one for each spring means, the pegs ofwhich are engagable with an apertured fitting of each spring means. Thelocation of the pegs on the discs is chosen to provide variouscombinations of force values which are derived from the spring means.The apparatus is so constructed to permit limited movement of thepatient while subjected to traction without change of the tractionforce.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of medical traction equipmentaccording to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of another embodiment of a constant force springmeans;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the spring means of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the traction apparatususing the spring means of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial end view of still another embodiment of a constantforce spring means;

FIG. 7 is a partial elevational view of the spring means of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end view of a spring means assembly incorporating a furtherembodiment of a constant force spring means;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the assembly of FIG.

FIG 10 is a fragmentary view of the traction apparatus using the springmeans of FIGS. 8 and 9; and

FIG. 11 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but illustratingstill a further embodiment of the invention.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The first embodiment of the invention,illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a container 10 having a bracket12 for attachment, as for example, to a head or foot board 14 of a bed(not shown). Within the container 10 are a plurality of constant forcespring means, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24, each of which includes a coilspring 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 on a reel 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 rotatablysupported on a shaft 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50 journalled in a bracket 51,52, 53, 54 and 55 connected to the floor 56 of the container 10. Thefree end of each spring passes through a slot 58 in a guide 60 fixedwithin the container 10 and has an apertured fitting 62, 64, 66, 68 and70 fixed thereto. The fitting is such shape to retain the free ends ofthe springs above the guide 60.

A substantially U-shaped carriage 72 is located above the guide 60 andis vertically slidable in tracks 74, 76 attached to sides 78, 80 of thecontainer 10. A horizontal shaft 82 is rotatably journalled in thecarriage 72 and is vertically movable therewith. To accomodate suchmovement, the side 80 of the container 10 is vertically slotted as at84. The shaft 82 is provided with a series of discs 86, 88, 90, 9.2 and94 therein corresponding in number and spacing to the apertured fittings62, 64, 66, 68 and 70. Each disc is provided with a plurality of lugs,pegs or the like 96 normally extending there from for engaging anaperture 98 in a fitting. The arrangement of lugs, pegs or the like issuch to select various spring force values upon engagement with thefittings. To engage and disengage the fittings, the shaft 82 is axiallymovable, as indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 1. A helical spring100 surrounding the shaft 82 between the track 74 and the disc 86 urgesthe shaft 82 toward the right (as viewed in the drawings) forlug-aperture registry. A suitable knob 102 is provided outside thecontainer 10 for rotating the shaft 82 and is provided with. a suitableindicia of force. In order to rotate the shaft 82 and insure registry ofat least one disc lug with a spring, the disc 94 (or any other disc inthe series if desired) is provided with a series of detents 104 forengagement by a leaf spring 106 attached to the carriage 72.

A cable 108 is attached to the carriage 72, is trained I around a pulley110 journalled in a bracket 1 l2 fixed to the top 114 of the contalner10 and passes through an opening 116 in a side 118 of the contalner 10.This cable 108 is attached, outside the container 10 to a fitting or thelike for a patient to be subjected to traction.

In operation, it is only necessary to dial the desired force, so thatthe proper spring or combinations thereof are selected, and attach thecable 108 to the patient. Changes in force can be made only when thecarriage is returned to its neutral position by moving the knob 102 tochange the selection of spring force. The carriage arrangement permitsmovement of the patient without force change.

A spacer 120 is attached to the side 80 of the container l0 and is ameans for preventing movement of the shaft 82 and knob 102 when thecarriage is moved vertically up from its neutral low position. This actsas a safety means preventing accidental release of spring members whennot in relaxed positions.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show a modification of the spring means in the FIGS. 1and 2 embodiment, just described. Here the spring means includes a pairof coiled, constant force springs 130, 132 each on a reel 134, 136supported for rotation on a shaft 138, 140 journalled in a bracket 142for attachment to the container 10. The pair of springs and 132 arejoined and pass through a slot 144 of a shelf 146 supported on thebracket 142. An apertured fitting 148 corresponds to the fitting of thesprings described in FIGS. 1 and 2. The remainder of the structure,i.e., the discs, carriage, detents remain the same; the basic differenceis in the spring means for supplying the constant value force to thepatient.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the spring means. Herethere is a coiled spring means 160 centrally attached to an aperturedfitting, such as 148 in FIGS. 3 to 5, with the two ends thereof on reels162, 164 rotatably journalled on shafts 166, 168 supported by a bracket170 to be affixed to the container 10. In other respects the remainingstructure is the same as described for FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate still another modification of the springmeans. Here a coiled spring 190 has its ends connected to reels 192, 194which are rotatably supported on shaft 196, 198 journalled in a bracket200 for attachment to the container 10. In this embodiment the upperreel 194 is vertically movable and is connected by means of a rod 202 toan apertured fitting 204 for engagement by a lug of a disc as beforedescribed. To permit movement of the reel 194, the bracket 200 isvertically slotted as at 206. The remaining parts of the structure aresimilar to that described for FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 11 is still another embodiment of the invention in which a slightlydifferent arrangement of parts is provided. In this embodiment, thespring means 220 is supported by a bracket 222 near the top of acontainer 224 and the force is transmitted via a cable 226 trained overpulleys 228 and 230 to the cable 232 which is trained over a pulley 234to the patient. The cable 226 passes through an opening 236 in a shelf238 and is attached to an apertured fitting 240 to cooperate with lugs242 on a rotatable disc 244 which is vertically movable, in the samemanner as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The particular spring means can be varied; the operation of theapparatus is substantially the same.

What is claimed is: l. A medical traction device comprising: a pluralityof constant force spring means each having an apertured fitting; aseries of discs corresponding in number to said spring means; said discsbeing rotatable about their centers and being provided with a pluralityof pegs extending therefrom; said pegs of a disc being adapted to engagesaid apertured fitting of its corresponding spring means at someposition of said disc thereby permitting selection of a particular forcefrom said plurality of spring means; and means to apply said selectedforce to a patient.

1. A medical traction device comprising: a plurality of constant forcespring means each having an apertured fitting; a series of discscorresponding in number to said spring means; said discs being rotatableabout their centers and being provided with a plurality of pegsextending therefrom; said pegs of a disc being adapted to engage saidapertured fitting of its corresponding spring means at some position ofsaid disc thereby permitting selection of a particular force from saidplurality of spring means; and means to apply said selected force to apatient.